


you can see it with the lights out

by addendum



Series: I’ve been loving you for quite some time [2]
Category: Bob's Burgers (Cartoon)
Genre: F/M, Family Fluff, Nightmares, Pregnancy, bob and louise sweetness
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-15
Updated: 2020-12-15
Packaged: 2021-03-11 02:33:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,578
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28087785
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/addendum/pseuds/addendum
Summary: Five of the sweet, late night moments Bob and Linda have shared over the years.
Relationships: Bob Belcher/Linda Belcher
Series: I’ve been loving you for quite some time [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2057652
Comments: 6
Kudos: 18





	you can see it with the lights out

Bob was lying on his back and staring at Linda’s ceiling, feeling grateful that she had finally traded her twin sized mattress in for a queen.

They’d been together for nearly three years, and in recent months, Bob had spent more nights in his girlfriend’s apartment than he had in his own. His roommate, Todd, was nice enough, but he always tried to trap Bob into long winded conversations about model trains or hot air balloon festivals.

Linda’s roommate was sort of uptight and pretty cold, but at least she spent most of her time holed up in her room. Besides, their place was in a nicer location and had a wider shower.

Most of all though, Linda’s apartment had Linda, and Bob preferred sleeping next to her whenever he could. He glanced to his side now to look at her sleeping form. She was wearing the shirt he had arrived in, leaving him bare chested. She looked too cozy in it for him to really care that the box fan on the ground was leaving him slightly cold.

The temperature was the least of his worries at the moment, because Bob had been plagued by significantly more troubling thoughts since Linda had stopped chattering to him about the book she was reading and drifted off to sleep. It seemed like whenever Bob had a moment of silence these days, a fog of anxiety would appear in his mind.

Tonight, he was feeling deeply concerned about his future. He and Linda had both been saving up as much money as possible from their minimum wage jobs, but looking anywhere past the present was still daunting.

There were only two things Bob really wanted to do with his life, and those were to start a family with Linda and to open his own restaurant. He knew that without the second thing, the first would be incredibly difficult.

Bob didn’t have a college degree. Cooking was the only thing he knew, and he wasn’t sure how he could provide for his family any other way. He felt stupid for not thinking ahead. He’d had tunnel vision for years, to the point where he hadn’t even considered another profession since he was a teenager.

Bob wished he could stop the thoughts that were inundating his mind and go to sleep, but closing his eyes just made them move faster. He covered his face with both hands, letting out a quiet groan.

The thought of being a nobody forever was making his stomach hurt. His biggest fear was having to ask his father to rehire him. It would be humiliating, having to face him and admit that he couldn’t make it on his own. The cloud of worry in Bob’s head was disrupted when he heard Linda shift beside him, and even more so when she spoke.

“Bobby?” She asked quietly. 

At the sound of her voice, a pressure Bob had been unconscious of released in his chest.

“Lin?” He asked, trying to make out her face in the darkness.

“Hi Bobby.” She said, and it was evident in her voice that she was still halfway asleep. “What are you still doing awake, you silly?”

Bob turned on his side so he could face her, and she moved in closer to him. Linda had once told him that she could tell when he was upset by paying attention to his body language, and he wondered if she was utilizing that power now.

“You’re awake too, Lin.” He pointed out.

Linda, apparently unsatisfied with his response, propped herself up on one arm so that she could glare at him from above. Or at least Bob assumed she was glaring. It was hard to make out in the dark.

“I’m only awake because I have to pee, Bobby.” She said. “When you’re up this late, it means you’re overthinking.”

Bob frowned, a little disconcerted by how well she knew him.

“What? That’s crazy. I...don’t do that.”

Linda’s eyebrows furrowed even deeper, and now Bob knew for sure that he was being glared at. He supposed it was probably silly to even try deceiving her, when she had possessed the uncanny ability to read him like a book.

“What are you lying here all worried about, mister?” She asked.

Bob sighed. He still wasn’t used to expressing how he was feeling. It made him feel self conscious and uncomfortable, and bottling everything in had worked for him for his entire life. Linda didn’t like that. She wanted Bob to cry on her shoulder and be comforted every time he was upset about anything.

“Just...things.” He said, hoping Linda would accept his ambiguity and move on.

“What things?” She prodded. “Bob, you can tell me this stuff!

Bob sighed. He wanted to vent, but he was also a little afraid that voicing his fears would just make them more real. Linda looked at him expectantly, and he decided that talking things out with her was probably his best bet.

“What if we can never afford to start a restaurant, Lin? It’s all I’ve ever wanted to do with my life!” He lamented. “I mean, I thought I wanted to be a professional pool player when I was 15, but that’s...probably not a good idea.”

Linda made a face.

“More like definitely not a good idea. What the hell, Bob? You’re awful at pool!”

Bob sighed.

“Thanks, Lin. Really helpful. Can we get back to the restaurant thing? If I can’t make it happen, then I’m gonna be a failure.”

Linda’s expression changed, and she looked sympathetic.

“Oh, Bobby. You aren’t gonna be a failure!”

She reached out and set a steady hand on his shoulder.

“You’re smart, and hardworking, and very talented. You’re the greatest guy I know! Your restaurant is gonna be amazing. I just know it!”

Bob felt relieved by her touch, and he subconsciously leaned closer to her. She touched their foreheads together.

“We’re gonna have a good life together, okay? I promise.”

Bob could recite the same thing to himself a hundred times, but when Linda said it, he actually believed it. She seemed so sure of what she was saying. He took a deep breath and let it out, already starting to feel better.

“Thanks, Lin.” He said. “But don’t call it  _my_ restaurant. Our place will be ours, okay? I couldn’t do it without you.”

“Aw, Bobby.” She said. “And I’ll do whatever it takes to help us get there. You hear me? Whatever it takes, I mean it! I’ll...be a stripper, if I have to!”

Bob chuckled at the sincerity in her voice.

“I really don’t think it’s come to that, Lin.” He said. “But thanks for the offer.”

Linda shrugged.

“I’m just saying! I love you, Bob, and I’m not letting you give up on your dream. Never ever!”

She brought their lips together, and Bob felt almost relaxed enough to go to sleep.

“I love you too, Lin. Thank you.”

••••

“Bobby? Wake up.”

Bob opened his eyes to see Linda hovered over him, her glasses already perched on her face. Turning his head to look at the clock, he saw that it was just before 4 a.m..

“Linda?” He said, unsure why she was waking him up at such an odd time.

His confusion quickly gave way to panic, when he saw that Linda had a hand placed on her pregnant stomach. He shot up quickly, startling her.

“Is the baby okay?” He asked, his eyes wide.

Linda nodded quickly, clearly feeling bad for having scared him. Being a first time dad was exciting, but Bob was already spending a lot of time worrying about his daughter—and she hadn’t even been born yet.

He and Linda were married now, and they had their restaurant, but business wasn’t exactly booming. They had about ten customers on a good day, but Bob and Linda were laser focused on keeping their heads above water. 

“The baby’s fine.” Linda assured him “She’s kicking me like it’s her frigging job. I just...I have another problem, hon. And you’re the only one who can help me with it.”

“Oh.” Bob said, realizing that he wasn’t going back to sleep anytime soon. He stifled a yawn. 

“Does your back hurt again? Do you need a massage?”

He pulled Linda in for a hug, stroking her hair because he knew it soothed her. He hated watching her go through the more difficult parts of pregnancy.

Massages had become part of Bob and Linda’s nightly routine as soon as she’d hit her second trimester, but most of her nights were still spent tossing and turning. She had cramps in her legs, pain in her back, and she had to get up to use the bathroom every twenty minutes. Her body was completely overwhelmed.

“No, not a massage.” Linda said, shaking her head. “I mean...yeah, it’s killing me, but I’m pretty used to that by now. I just have this...craving.”

Still, Linda was happier than Bob had ever seen her. She loved chatting with customers about her pregnancy, and she was ecstatic about having a girl for their firstborn. Bob knew she would willingly go through every ounce of discomfort for an extra nine months if that’s what it took for her to meet their baby.

“Oh. A craving?” Bob asked.

“A really, really strong one, Bob. I don’t think I’lll be able to sleep until it goes away!” She said with a pout on her face.

She looked so pitiful sitting on her knees in her blue maternity nightgown, and Bob felt terrible knowing how uncomfortable she’d been feeling lately. He placed a hand on top of hers, so that they were both holding her stomach.

“Okay.” He said with a yawn. “Do you want ice cream again, Lin? We have pistachio and a little bit of strawberry, or I could mix them together for you.”

“No, no.” Linda said. “Well...mm. Maybe. Wait, no. That’s not what I want, Bobby. I can’t stop thinking about that Burger of the Day you made today! Yum!”

Bob laughed incredulously.

“The Burger of the Day?” He asked. “Lin, you didn’t even try it! You disappeared upstairs for an hour, because you said the smell of it was making you nauseous.”

Linda gave him a sheepish smile, and he laughed again.

“I know, Bobby!” She said, joining in his laughter. “But then I was sitting here thinking about it, and I realized how good it sounded. I mean...red meat sounded terrible earlier, but now it sounds amazing.”

“You’re ridiculous.” Bob said good-naturedly.

As sleepy as he felt, he was glad Linda had woken him up. She was putting her body through hell so that they could have a family together, and making her as comfortable as possible was the least he could do in return. Besides, it felt pretty good knowing his wife was craving something he had created.

“I know.” Linda agreed. “But...will you do it for me? And for Tina? She told me she really wants to try one of her daddy’s burgers.”

Bob avoided eye contact, knowing that a statement like that could easily make him more emotional than he had the energy to be at four o’clock in the morning.

“Of course, Lin.” He said. “Are you coming downstairs to keep me company while I cook it,or should I just bring it up to you when I’m done?”

Already making her way out of bed, Linda wrinkled her nose at him.

“Are you kidding?” She asked. “I’m not staying up here in this dark apartment all alone, mister! It’s spooky! Tina and I are coming with you.”

Bob smiled. He had been hoping she would come down and talked to him while he cooked her burger, but he wouldn’t have asked her to if she had decided staying in bed was more comfortable.

“Okay, Lin.” He said, taking her hand to help her navigate her way out of the dark room and shuffle into her slippers. He slid into his own and led them both out the bedroom door.

“Aren’t we so lucky to know such an amazing chef, Tina?” Linda said in a high pitched voice, looking down to address her protruding belly. 

Bob shook his head and smiled as he grabbed the keys to the restaurant, giving her hand a tight squeeze.

••••

Bob and Linda hadn’t exchanged more than a chaste peck in weeks, and they’d both been too distracted by the chaos surrounding them to notice.

There had been a fire at the restaurant, and the costs of resulting repairs had created an atmosphere of stress around the house for days. Bob had been forced to strongly look at the possibility of closing for a moment there, and the very suggestion had sent him spiraling.

Work was tough, and things within the family were only marginally less stressful. Gene had recently picked up the sport of banging pots and pans together as loudly as he could during any free moment he had, helping Tina study for first grade spelling tests was practically a full time job, and it didn’t help that the youngest Belcher was going through a phase of bad behavior.

At two years old, Louise embodied every stereotype associated with her age. She was fiercely defiant and far more prone to tantrums than either of her siblings had been. She also took every opportunity she could find to get into trouble, whether that be smearing banana in her hair or stealing her siblings’ toys.

Despite all of that, Bob had fallen in love with her from the first moment he held her. He could tell how smart she was by the way her eyes would move slowly across a room, like she was thoroughly analyzing every situation she came across. She had been an early walker, an early talker, and an early troublemaker. She was a very ambitious toddler.

Convincing Louise to go to sleep every night was a difficult task. If Gene and Tina both required one story each, then Louise would at least three to satisfy her. If she heard her parents laughing in the living room after she had gone to bed, then she would waddle out wondering who was daring to have fun without her.

Wrangling Louise into bed was hard, but tonight Bob was determined to have some alone time with his wife. He was lying comfortably in bed, the damages at the restaurant were being taken care of, and the kids were all having their bedtimes stories read to them. Once they were settled in, Bob and Linda could have a moment to relieve some of the stress they’d been feeling. He grinned at the thought of it.

It was Linda’s turn to read the kids their stories, which meant that a lot of time was taken up by spontaneous singing. Bob could hear Gene giggling as his mom bombarded him with a flurry of kisses, and he knew that meant Louise’s turn was next.

Bob listened as Linda padded across the floor to Louise’s room and opened her door. He knew that it could take awhile for Louise to stop arguing and succumb to sleep, so he took that morning’s newspaper from his nightstand and began to flip through it.

He read for almost twenty minutes, skimming local stories and revisiting the same advertisements over and over as he waited for Linda to return. Just as he began to suspect that she and Louise had fallen asleep cuddled up in the toddler’s bed, he heard his bedroom door swing open.

“Uh...Bob?” He heard his wife say from the doorway. “Looks like we’ll be having a special visitor tonight.”

Bob glanced up and saw that Linda was holding Louise in her arms. The toddler had on pink footie pajamas, and the frown on her face made her look more like a world weary, cynical adult than an exhausted toddler. 

“She says she won’t go to sleep unless Daddy comes and sleeps next to her, and I figured you didn’t want to squeeze into that little bed. Parenting is all about compromise, right?”

As much as Bob had been looking forward to his night with Linda, any disappointment he might have felt washed away when he heard what Louise had requested. His face broke out into a smile when he realized her tiny arms were reaching for him.

“Did someone miss her daddy?” He asked, taking her out of Linda’s arms. Louise quickly rested her head on his shoulder.

“Someone did.” Linda said, shaking her head. “You don’t mind, do you Bobby?”

“I don’t mind, Lin.”

With a family as close as his was, Bob had grown accustomed to his children appearing in their bedroom at all hours of the night. Most of the time, it didn’t bother him very much.

When Tina was Louise’s age, she had burst into her parents’ room at two in the morning and thrown up all over their bed. Even then, Bob had only grumbled a little. He’d tossed the soiled quilt in the wash, stroked his sick daughter’s hair, and listened to Linda sing to her until she fell asleep.

“Okay, miss missy. It’s time for you to get some sleep.” Linda announced, getting under the covers. “‘Cause mommy isn’t listening to any more tantrums tonight.”

“Daddy go sleep.” Louise mumbled groggily into Bob’s shoulder, causing him to chuckle quietly.

“You’re right, Louise.” He said. “Daddy goes to sleep. And so do you, okay?”

Linda’s face softened.

“Aw! My big Bobby and his little bedbug.” She cooed.

“Shh!” Louise added, now sounding considerably more awake. “Mommy go sleep.”

“Oh boy.” Linda laughed, lowering her voice to a whisper. “I’m sorry, baby. You’re right. Let’s all go to sleep.”

She leaned over and flicked the glowing lamp on the nightstand off. Bob set Louise down gently in the middle of the bed before crawling under the covers himself. His daughter instantly latched onto his arm, gripping it as tightly as she might a stuffed animal.

A lightbulb went on in Bob’s head, and he made a mental note to ask Linda in the morning if he thought Louise might find it easier to fall asleep if she had some kind of toy to hold onto. He pressed a goodnight kiss to the top of Louise’s head.

“Sorry about our plans falling through, Bobby.” Linda’s hushed voice said, a hint of amusement in her voice. “I just couldn’t make myself say no to her.”

“That’s okay, Lin.” He whispered back, reaching over Louise to squeeze his wife’s hand so that she knew he wasn’t annoyed.

“Try again tomorrow?” Linda suggested hopefully. Bob smiled.

“Yes. Definitely yes.” 

••••

Bob could feel his feet sinking into the ground. He was paralyzed in one spot, and his surroundings were a blur. There was a strong wind whistling around him, picking up dust and carrying it through the air. Bob’s vision was clouded. 

Somewhere in the distance, he could hear a small voice ringing. After a moment of listening, he recognized it as Tina’s. Her cries were followed by Gene and Louise’s, and each of them sounded afraid. 

“Daddy!” He heard Louise say. She was seven now, and she still called him that when they weren’t in public. The fear in her voice made Bob’s blood run cold. 

“Dad!” Gene echoed. At nine, Gene was the most relentlessly cheerful child Bob had ever encountered. Now, he sounded on the verge of tears. 

Bob didn’t know what could be wrong. He didn’t remember how he had gotten here, or why there was dust stinging his eyes. All he knew was that he needed to get to his kids. 

Bob tried to move again, trying to reach them, but he couldn’t. Another voice joined those of his children. 

“Bob?” Linda said, her voice sounding strained and raw. “Bobby?” 

She had definitely been crying, and Bob wracked his brain to remember why. There was an awful feeling running through his body, like the worst was coming. He tried to move again, and—

Bob woke up, jerking up in bed with a strangled gasp. Although he quickly covered his mouth with one hand, the commotion had already been enough to wake his sleeping wife. 

Linda startled, looking a little frantic. Her face relaxed as she assessed the situation and worked out what must have happened. 

She touched Bob’s arm gently, and he snapped his head to look at her. Her head was cocked in concern, and meeting her eyes brought Bob mostly back to reality. 

“Bobby?” She asked gently. “Are you okay, honey?”

Bob sighed. 

“Yeah, Lin. I’m fine. Sorry for waking you up. I just...had a nightmare. Go back to sleep.” 

Linda sat up without saying anything and took her glasses off of the nightstand, putting them on before flicking on the lamp. 

“You look like a wreck, Bob.” She said when the room flooded with light. “Did you dream about Jimmy Pesto getting his own show on the Food Network again? I told you, Bobby, that’s not gonna happen!” 

Bob shook his head, still trying to clear away the terror he had been wracked with in his dream. 

“Uh...no, Lin. This was...much, much worse.” 

Linda frowned and touched him again, this time laying a hand on his knee. 

“Tell me about it.” She said. “I wanna help you feel better.” 

Bob looked at the troubled expression on her face and knew she would spend the rest of the night worrying over him if he didn’t explain what his dream was about. 

“It was...terrible.” He began, as some of the ambiguous dread crept back into his chest. 

“The kids?” Linda guessed, knowing that the safety of their children was what both of them prioritized above all else. 

“The kids.” He confirmed with a nod. “And you. I don’t even know where we were, but...you guys were in danger. And...I could hear you calling for me, but I was just frozen where I was standing. I couldn’t get to you.” 

The concern on Linda’s face deepened, and she silently reached out her arms for Bob to fall into. He obliged, letting his wife wrap her arms around him as he buried his face in her chest. The smell of her fabric softener was comforting because he associated it with her, and he took a deep breath in. 

“It wasn’t real, Bobby.” She assured him, pressing a kiss to the top of his head. “We’re all okay. The kids are fine.” 

Bob was a little embarrassed to be clinging onto her like a scared little kid, but he also felt grateful that he had someone so willing to hold him as tightly as Linda was. 

“I know.” He said. “I know it was just a dream. Sorry for being stupid.” 

“It’s not stupid.” Linda argued. “You’re allowed to be scared, Bob! Remember when Tina was a baby and I dreamt that I dropped her from the Ferris wheel? I cried for an hour.” 

Bob recalled holding Linda like she was holding him now, and then lifting Tina out of her crib just to prove that she was okay. The memory gave him an idea. 

“Lin, I think I’m gonna go look in on the kids.” He said, lifting his face from off of her chest. “If I see that they’re okay, then I’ll be able to fall asleep again.” 

“Good idea, Bobby.” Linda said. 

Bob removed the covers from his legs and started getting out of bed, but he felt Linda’s hand grab hold of his elbow to stop him. 

“Wait.” She said. “Do you want me to come with you, Bobby?” 

Bob thought about the dream again and how scared Linda’s voice had sounded when she cried out for him against the heavy wind. He felt a rush of relief as he looked at her, knowing she was safe, and he reached out for her hand. 

“Of course, Lin.” He said. “Come with me.”

••••  


Bob woke to a loud, booming sound, and he found himself instinctively throwing an arm over Linda to protect her from a potential intruder. She wasn’t very impressed. 

“Uh hello, Mr. Crazy Arms.” She said sarcastically, lying on her back and shooting him an annoyed look. “Is this your first experience with thunder?”

Bob returned her glare, relaxing again as another roll of thunder roared above them. If he had known that there was going to be a thunderstorm that night, then maybe he wouldn’t have reacted so strongly to the sudden noise.

“Oh, I’m _so_ sorry for trying to save your life, Lin.” He whispered. 

Linda simply rolled her eyes and scooted closer to him, resting her head on his chest and closing her eyes. Bob swung an around her. 

“I’ve been up for the past ten minutes, you know.” She said. “All alone, no Bobby to protect me from the storm.” 

Bob knitted his eyebrows together in confusion. 

“You aren’t afraid of thunderstorms, Lin.” He pointed out. “You love them. You say they’re the universe’s way of letting you know it’s okay to not wear a bra that day.” 

“Well...that’s true.” Linda said. “But they’re loud! And I like when I pretend to be scared and you let me hide in your chest.” 

Bob chuckled. 

“Kind of like you’re doing right now?” 

Linda smiled, pulling the covers up past her chest. 

“Yeah! Nice, right? Just me and my cozy Bobby.” 

“Yeah.” He agreed. “It is nice. You think it’ll still be rainy tomorrow?” 

Rainy days usually meant that they had even fewer customers at the restaurant than normal. If the downpour was heavy enough, sometimes even Teddy stayed home.

“I don’t know, Bobby.” Linda said. “Don’t worry about it right now, okay? Whatever happens happens.” 

Bob sighed, doing his best to push away any stressful predictions about the following day. Linda was right: he couldn’t control whether or not it rained, so there was no sense in worrying about it. 

“I can feel your heartbeat.” Linda added when he didn’t reply. “Right against my ear! Bum ba bum bum ba bum bum.” 

Her sound effects sounded very sleepy, and it made Bob chuckle. 

“Uh...sorry?” He said. “I’m not really sure how fix that, Lin.” 

He felt her shake her head against his chest. 

“No!” She said. “I like it. It’s nice. It makes me feel close to you.” 

Her declaration came so suddenly that it took Bob off guard, and he actually felt his cheeks heat up. 

“That’s...great, Lin.” He said, not sure what he should say. 

Linda only hummed in return, but she sounded content with his answer. Bob kissed the top of her head as another crash of thunder sounded outside. 

“How long do you think it’ll be before the kids come in here?” He asked quietly. 

Gene and Tina were both a little scared of thunderstorms, and there was no way Louise would allow herself to be left out of a late night rendezvous. 

“Eh.” Linda said. “I give it five minutes. Let’s just enjoy the silence while it lasts, okay?” 

Bob smiled, knowing exactly what she meant. Spending time with his kids was always a good thing, but this was a different kind of comfort. He pulled Linda a little closer, giving her head another kiss. 

“Okay, Lin.” He said softly. “That sounds like a great idea.” 


End file.
